Elias shouted, "Go inside! I've been waiting for you. I never thought you'd actually take your time."
Alan pinched his temple.
Great. This guy again. Things would've been a lot smoother if he wasn't here... Looks like I'm in for a rough time.
He glanced at Murphy.
"Is he always like this? I disliked him the moment we met. I could already smell the annoyance."
Murphy's lips curled slightly.
"Yeah, this is normal. Though this time, it's a bit worse. He probably got bored sitting in his room."
Alan turned to look inside,
,and a figure suddenly appeared in front of the door.
A familiar scumbag, Elias Ashford.
Alan flinched and furrowed his brows.
What the, when did he appear?
Steadying his posture, he said,
"When did you get here? You were on the second floor just a moment ago."
Elias closed his eyes, his mouth curving into a smile. He tilted his head to the right, rested his fingers under his jaw, and replied,
"I just teleported. That's it."
Alan raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
That's not a normal thing to say.
He replied, eyes scanning Elias from head to toe,
"That's not something the average person says... though everything I've seen so far does make it feel disturbingly normal for you people."
Elias shot him a glance.
"Of course. Anyway, when are you going inside? I'm not the only one waiting, Murphy's been standing here listening to us the whole time."
Alan looked down at the doorframe, scanning every inch.
I'm being forced. Silent guilt-tripping. But… I guess I really should go.
He looked at both of them.
Yeah. I don't have much of a choice. Things might get worse if I delay any longer.
Alan closed his eyes and stepped inside.
Nothing will happen. Nothing will absolutely happen.
Alan opened his eyelids, and before him was the mansion in full view.
This is the polished floor… that's the curved staircase… the chandeliers hanging high… and that heat.
He blinked. To his right stood Elias Ashford, dark brown hair flowing down with bright yellow tips glowing at the end of each strand.
Did I really do it? Did I make it across? Without anything happening to me? …Or did something already happen to me?
Elias glanced at Alan's wide, shocked eyes and sighed.
"Finally, you crossed. What took you so long? It's just a door. But hey, you made it through smoothly."
He studied Alan's face for a moment, then shifted his gaze to Murphy.
Alan passed through without resistance. Looks like my intuition was right.
Elias sighed again.
"Let's go. I'll introduce you to the others." He turned to Murphy.
"You coming?"
Murphy stared at Elias's sharp features and deep, dark-blue eyes.
"No. I'll stay in the bookstore. Can't leave it unattended, someone might sneak in."
Elias raised an eyebrow, smiling. His eyes widened in that signature mischievous way.
"Iris baked cookies this morning. You sure you want to miss that?"
Murphy narrowed his eyes, unfazed.
"You're the worst. I hope you fail your next Equation activation."
Elias laughed, beaming like a child.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Let's gooo! Time to introduce Alan to the others!"
Alan followed, glancing around like a commoner wandering through a noble's palace lined with gold crowns. He trailed behind Elias, with Murphy walking in silence behind them.
They live in this lavish mansion… yet they never fix that pathetic bookstore window. What a bunch of self-centered weirdos.
As they approached a large room, the warm scent of freshly baked cookies drifted into Alan's nose, uninvited but undeniable.
He glanced at Murphy, considering something.
Wait… does he actually like cookies? That might be useful info.
Murphy caught Alan staring and tilted his head slightly.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
I knew it. My useless intuition was right again.
Elias suddenly stopped, his loud steps coming to a halt. He raised both arms with flair.
"We're here! Though I still don't get why the living room and kitchen are so far from the stairs to our station… but hey, you'll get used to it."
Here is a revised and polished version of Scene 3, keeping your tone, character quirks, and monologue structure while refining grammar, clarity, and natural flow:
Elias shouted loudly, arms flung wide:
"Everyone! He's here, the guy I found! Can we celebrate? Please?"
Alan looked around, eyes scanning the room with subtle amusement.
A different chandelier… and this room's definitely bigger than the hallway.
Elias slung an arm around Alan's shoulder and leaned in.
"Come on, guys! Don't be lazy, the newcomer's finally here!"
Alan's eyes landed on a woman near the kitchen. Her warm chestnut hair was tied into a neat bun, and she was quietly focused on baking.
She's still baking, even with Elias practically screaming her ears off. I wish I had that kind of patience.
Elias noticed Alan's gaze and grinned.
"That's Iris Gustave. She's 25. She cooks everything here, and better than most gourmet chefs. Murphy loves her cooking."
Murphy's brows rose sharply, as if trying to stab into his own forehead.
Elias noticed.
"Hey, hey, don't get mad! I'll give you my fair share of Iris's food, alright?"
Murphy shot back with narrowed eyes, voice low.
"Bastard."
Just then, a woman with a wavy auburn bob and a side fringe walked over.
"Why don't you guys sit down? Must be tiring standing around all day."
She came all the way here? Must mean her work is done.
Elias turned to her, then back to Alan.
"That's Serena Thorne. She's 31, basically our doctor and teacher."
Serena raised an eyebrow.
"What a dry intro. You didn't even mention that I monitor everyone's mental state around here."
Elias looked down with a sheepish expression.
"Well… not the best idea to reveal too much to the newcomer. Besides, you barely do anything aside from checking our health once a day."
Serena smiled, brows lifting in disbelief.
This scumbag… as if he does more than I do.
"As if you're any better," she replied sweetly. "Anyway, go sit. The others will leave their stations eventually… except one."
She turned to Alan.
"Though Elias gave the basics, I'll introduce myself properly. Serena Thorne, 31. I'm the doctor keeping this whole place from falling apart, since no one here is what you'd call normal. I mostly work with the Chief, I'm her assistant."
Alan looked down, raising his eyebrows slightly.
She must be constantly exhausted. The two people I've met so far are already… far from normal.
He looked back up, bowed slightly.
"Hello. I'm Alan Moriarty, 20 years old. I was randomly recruited by Elias Ashford."
Serena examined him for a moment, then closed her left eye and sighed.
"Don't stress out too much. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't get turned into minced meat walking through Murphy's Law, which is the name of that door you crossed. It's basically Murphy Goslan's main body."
Alan's eyes and mouth widened. He covered his lips with his hand.
What the hell… Did I just walk through a door that's supposed to shred people alive? I almost died?
Murphy cut in quickly.
"Serena, that's not something you're supposed to say this early. It's his first experience."
Serena just smiled.
"Oops. Well, since you survived, welcome to the Night Clerks. Let's work together to solve the indescribable. Shake on it?"
She extended her hand. Alan hesitated.
Should I take it? Forget what I said, everyone here… no, everything here isn't normal. You know what? Just accept it.
He reached out and shook her hand.
Surprisingly warm… kind of comforting, actually.
He raised his head and looked her in the eye.
"Nice working with you."
Elias, hands stuffed in his coat pockets, spoke up.
"Can we sit on the couch now? Let's go, Alan, we'll wait till everyone else shows up."
Elias and Alan headed toward the couch. Alan's eyes landed on its red-and-white cushions, its sides etched with strange symbols that seemed to shimmer faintly when touched by the chandelier's light.
These symbols… they're not just for decoration, are they?
Elias leaned in and whispered beside Alan's ear.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Might feel weird at first, but it's normal. Serena, don't trust her. She's the most abnormal one here."
Murphy chimed in from nearby, calm as ever.
"No. Don't listen to him. Serena's the only sane one here. Including me."
Elias turned toward him, frowning.
"That's not true. And don't lump yourself into the mentally sane category. You're the most insane one in this place."
Their bickering was cut off by a loud, sharp voice that echoed through the room like a whip cracking across stone.
"SHUT UP! WHY ARE YOU GUYS SO LOUD?"
Alan flinched slightly.
Why scream in a place where every sound echoes like thunder? My ears are still ringing.
Elias glanced at Alan, sighing.
"That's Florence Graye. Aka Sleeping Beauty. She's 23. Doesn't do anything except sleep and read the newspaper. Best to ignore her."
Elias bent his knees, flopped onto the couch, and leaned back lazily.
"Iris! What are you cooking?" he called out, not too loud, but not exactly subtle either.
A deep, irritated male voice answered from the kitchen.
"She's making molten sugar-pie biscuits. And don't disturb her. Also, shut up."
Elias's smile faltered. He looked at Alan with a half-laugh, half-wince expression.
"That's Graham Brookse. Aka The Multitasker. He's 25. Usually quiet, but when he gets mad? He really gets mad."
Alan nodded slowly, eyes drifting between the symbols on the couch and the voices filling the room.
This place… it's like walking into a dream you can't wake up from. Or a story where every character forgot they're in one.